
Judiciaries in Peril
Spotlight Webinar Series: ‘Judiciaries In Peril In Central & Eastern Europe’

- What is the nature of governmental attacks on the courts and their independence?
- What is behind current attacks on the judiciary?
- How do these attacks threaten judicial independence?
- Are there any solutions or remedies?
Past Sessions
Judiciary In Peril: Hungary Case Study
10 June 2021, 4pm CEST
This session shines a spotlight on the judiciary in Hungary, outlining the challenges being faced since the judicial reform of 2012. The conversation will be led by Andras Kadar, Co-Chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee; Judge Viktor Vadász, a member of the National Judicial Council; and Agnes Kovács, Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Rights and Politics at ELTE University (Budapest).
This Spotlight webinar will be held via Zoom with simultaneous translation available in English and Hungarian.

Judge Viktor Vadász

Andras Kadar

Professor Agnes Kovács
Judiciary In Peril: Ukraine Case Study
27 May 2021, 5pm CEST
In this fifth webinar session, we will shine a spotlight on the judiciary in Ukraine. The conversation will be led by Mykhailo Zhernakov, Head of Board, DEJURE Foundation, Judge Markiyan Halabala from the High Anti-Corruption Court, and Yevheniia Motorevska, Journalist and Producer Slidstvo.Info.
This Spotlight webinar will be held via Zoom and available in English and Ukrainian.

Judge Markiyan Halabala

Mykhailo Zhernakov

Yevheniia Motorevska
Judiciary In Peril: Romania Case Study
Monday, 8 March 2021
Our fourth session shined a spotlight on Romania’s judiciary, outlining the particular challenges facing that country’s judges. The conversation was led by Laura Ștefan, Executive Director Expert Forum, Chairperson of the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Secretariat, a former director in the Romanian Ministry of Justice; Ramona Strugariu, Member of the European Parliament; and Judge Andrea Chiș, Judge at Cluj Appellate Court, and member of the Romanian Superior Council of Magistracy.
The Spotlight series was held via Zoom and will soon be made available here in English and Romanian.

Ramona Strugariu

Andrea Chis

Laura Ștefan
Judiciary In Peril: Montenegro Case Study
Tuesday, 26 January 2021
Our third session shines a spotlight on Montenegro’s judiciary, outlining the particular challenges facing that country’s judges. The conversation will be led by Mirza Ademovic (Judge in Podgorica Basic Court), Marijana Lakovic-Draskovic, Former Director of Minister of Justice, and Ivan Vukcevic (Project Coordinator for CeMI).
The Spotlight series will be held via Zoom and available in English and Montenegrin.

Marijana Lakovic-Draskovic

Mirza Ademovic

Ivan Vukcevic
Tuesday, 1 December 2020
The second webinar session in this series spotlights the judiciary in Poland and outlines the peril it faces. The conversation was led by Krystian Markiewicz, President of Iustitia; Michał Wawrykiewicz, Wolne Sądy; and Malgorzata Szuleka, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowiek.

Michal Wawrykiewicz

Małgorzata Szuleka

Krystian Markiewicz
Tuesday, 17 November 2020
The premier session in this series shines a spotlight on the judiciary in Bulgaria, outlining how that judiciary is in peril and the particular challenges facing it. The conversation was led by Judge Kalin Kalpakchiev, Head of the Bulgarian Judges Association, and Bilyana Wegertseder, Director of Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives (BILI Foundation).

Bilyana Wegertseder

Kalin Kalpakchiev
Central & Eastern European Judicial Exchange Network
The CEELI Institute’s Central and Eastern European Judicial Network, now in its eighth year, is comprised of some of the best and brightest rising judges from eighteen countries who gather regularly to share best practices on issues of judicial independence, integrity, accountability, and court management. As international in-person meetings are likely to be limited for some time to come, the Spotlight Series ensures that the Network can continue to meet its mandate to promote judicial independence, and improve judicial integrity and court efficiency in Central and Eastern Europe, despite the global lockdowns resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.